Copy and Paste finally here for the iPhone?

Copy and Paste is without a doubt one of the most sought-after features still missing from the iPhone. Currently, 37,172 people and counting have added it to the Wish List on the website Pleasefixtheiphone. Now the wait is almost over thanks to one Jed Schimdt, creator of Pastebud.

While it is not an Apple Sanctioned copy and paste method, Jed has found a way to copy and paste text from Safari to Mail and also between web pages. As first reported by Gizmodo:

Unlike other approaches, it works with the two apps that matter most, Mail and Safari, and gets around Apple’s onerous App Store terms through a clever combination of javascript bookmarks and web services.

Since Pastebud is a web-based service, no actual software is required to be downloaded. Judging from the video, you use two essential bookmarks in Safari. The ‘Copy’ bookmark reloads the page you are viewing and will allow you to copy a block of text by dragging your finger. Clicking a link on the top (presumably Pastebud’s Toolbar) will open Mail with your highlighted text ready to be sent. The other bookmark allows you to paste your text with Safari itself, like a web-based facebook or twitter pages.

Jed has been testing out Pastebud for a week and is “putting the finishing touches on the web site before launch”. While Pastebud’s method may not be all that we were hoping for (still not a built in iPhone function), it sure is a good start for those who need text copied from Safari to their inbox.